The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office has charged a San Jose man with stealing thousands of dollars from local families who hired him to plan their daughters’ quinceañeras.

Juan Martin Gaspar, 51, a well-known planner for San Jose families celebrating their child’s special 15th birthday, took large fees from at least seven families and then did not pay the vendors who provided everything from decorated venues to the food.

On Sept. 25, Gaspar, also known as Juan Martin Barcenas, was arraigned on seven counts of felony grand theft, and was ordered not to work as an event planner while the criminal case is pending.

He is out of custody on $100,000 bail. Gaspar’s next court date is scheduled for December 2, 2025, in Department 30 of the Hall of Justice in San Jose. If convicted, he could face jail time.

Anyone with information that may help investigators locate additional victims is urged to contact the District Attorney’s Office Consumer Protection Unit at (408) 792-1054 or

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“A quinceañera is a very important event in a young woman’s life,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “The memories of that special day should be wonderful ones, not the memory of being ripped off by someone you trusted.”

The investigation began when local news organizations ran stories about Gaspar and his event planning business, “VIP Eventss.” Later, a victim came forward to the District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Unit to make a complaint.

The DA’s Bureau of Investigations found that, between 2023 and 2024, Gaspar was hired by at least seven families to organize the details of the traditional birthday celebrations. In those cases, the victims would be confronted – sometimes on the day of the party – by unpaid vendors that would show up demanding payment from them.